The Salaf and Their Severe Warning Against Irja’
Ibrāhīm an-Nakha’ī (rahimahullāh – d. 96AH) said,
“I fear the fitnah of the Murji’ah for this Ummah more than
the fitnah of the Azāriqah [a sect of the Khawārij]”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
He also said, “I fear the Murji’ah for the people of Islam more than their number of the Azāriqah”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
He also said, “In my opinion, the Khawārij are more excused than the Murji’ah”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
He also said, “The Murji’ah left the religion of limsier than a very thin garment”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
He also said, “The Murji’ah invented an opinion, so I fear them for the Ummah. The evil from them is great,
so be very wary of them” [Ash-Sharī’ah – Al-Ājurrī].
He also said, “I don’t know of a more foolish people by way of their opinion than these Murji’ah”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
Qatādah (rahimahullāh – d. 118AH) and Yahyā Ibn Abī Kathīr (rahimahullāh – d. 129AH) both said,
“There is no deviance more feared by us for the Ummah than Irjā’”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
Muhammad Ibn ‘Alī Ibn al-Husayn (rahimahullāh – d. 118AH) said, “There is nothing in day or night more similar to the Jews than the Murji’ah” [AlLālikā’ī].
Az-Zuhrī (rahimahullāh – d. 124AH) said, “No deviance was innovated after the advent of Islam more harmful to its people than Irjā’”
[AshSharī’ah – Al-Ājurrī].
Mansūr Ibn al-Mu’tamir (rahimahullāh – d. 133AH) said, “The Murji’ah and the Rāfidah are the enemies of Allah”
[Al-Lālikā’ī].
Mughīrah ad-Dabbī (rahimahullāh – d. 133AH) said, “By Allah who there is no god but He, I fear the Murji’ah more than the fussāq [sinful] for this religion”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
Al-A’mash (rahimahullāh – d. 148AH) said, “By Allah who there is no god but He, I do not know of anyone more evil than the Murji’ah” [As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
Sufyān ath-Thawrī (rahimahullāh – d. 161AH) said, “The religion of Irjā’ is an innovated religion”
[As-Sunnah – Al-Khallāl].
He also said, while turning the pages of the Qur’ān, “No one is farther from it [the Qur’ān] than the Murji’āh”
[Al-Lālikā’ī].
Sharīk (rahimahullāh – d. 177AH) said, “The Murji’ah are the filthiest people.
The Rāfidah were filthy enough, but the Murji’ah lie against Allah”
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
Ibnul-Mubārak (rahimahullāh – d. 181AH) was asked, “Who emerges first, the Dajjāl or the Beast?”
He replied, “The Jahmī so-and-so being appointed as a judge over Bukhārā is more severe for the Muslims
than the emergence of the Beast or the Dajjāl!” The judge was from the extreme Murji’ah
[As-Sunnah – ‘Abdullāh Ibn al-Imām Ahmad].
An-Nadr Ibn Shumayl (rahimahullāh – d. 204AH) was asked about Irjā’ so he answered,
“It is a religion in agreement with the desires of the kings by which the Murji’ah obtain some
of the kings’ dunyā and lose some of their own religion”
[Al-Bidāyah wan-Nihāyah].
[ The Murji’ah of the past – by diluting the religion and downplaying the danger of sins –
gave the Muslim kings justification to commit more sins and injustices. Some of the contemporary Murji’ah justified
for the modern-day tawāghīt the legislation of manmade laws and allying with the Jews, Christians, pagans, and apostates against the Muslims.]
If the Salaf warned so severely against Irjā’, how can this innovation be so grossly ignored by the Muslims?